In one of the most shocking legal sagas to hit Bollywood in years, actor Imran Khan — a man who has lived in India since he was two years old — has been ordered to leave the country by October 28, 2026. The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Mumbai served the Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na star a “Leave India” notice after he was briefly detained near a political protest in Mumbai on October 10. Now, with a second notice threatening to revoke his Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status, the Bombay High Court will hear his plea on October 26 — just two days before the deadline. Here is the complete story: what happened, what the law says, and why his long-awaited Netflix comeback may now be deferred.
The October 10 Protest That Started It All
On October 10, Imran Khan attended a protest at Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan organised against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, demanding his resignation over alleged discrepancies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls — which, protesters claimed, had eliminated roughly 13 crore (130 million) voter entries across the country. The demonstration was organised by the GenZ-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Mumbai Police detained more than 400 people at the venue, and Khan — who was accompanied by his partner Lekha Washington and his cousin Zayn Marie — was among them, though all were released the same evening. Khan maintains he was detained while standing near the venue and has denied participating in the demonstration itself.
The ‘Leave India by October 28’ Notice Explained
Four days later, on October 14, the FRRO issued a “Leave India Notice” to the 43-year-old actor on the letterhead of the Bureau of Immigration, directing him to depart India on or before 28.10.2026. The notice cited provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 — Sections 7 and 29, which empower the government to order a foreign national to leave the country — and alleged that Khan had contravened the Act’s provisions and the rules made under it.
The trigger was a complaint filed by BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya at the Gamdevi police station, alleging that Khan — a US citizen holding OCI status — had violated the rules governing foreign citizens by taking part in the demonstration. The Gamdevi police forwarded the complaint to the FRRO, which issued the expulsion notice. The office’s position: as a foreign national, Khan is not permitted to participate in political rallies, agitations, or demonstrations in India, and OCI cardholders are not conferred political privileges such as voting, contesting elections, or taking part in political activities, including protests.
Khan’s camp has pushed back hard. His legal team argues that the actor — born in the US but a resident of India since early childhood — was issued the notice without any prior show-cause notice or hearing, and that the order failed to disclose reasons. They have called the notice “unconstitutional, manifestly arbitrary and disproportionate.”
Bombay High Court to Hear Plea on October 26
On October 17, Khan moved the Bombay High Court through a writ petition, filed by advocates Zulfiquar Memon, Parvez Memon and Chirag Naik of MZM Legal LLP. The plea seeks to quash and set aside the notice, and asks for an immediate stay on its operation and implementation pending disposal of the petition.
On October 19, senior counsel Venkatesh Dhond mentioned the matter before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna, seeking an urgent hearing. Dhond argued that his client has no criminal antecedents and pleaded that October 26 — two days before the departure deadline — “might be cutting it very fine or close,” requesting the matter be heard earlier. The bench, however, fixed the hearing for October 26, noting that respondents would get time to take instructions. Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh appeared for the Union government and sought time, having received the petition copy only that morning.
What the court decides on October 26 could shape the rest of this case — and potentially set a precedent for how immigration law applies to OCI cardholders who have spent virtually their entire lives in India.
Second Notice: OCI Status Now Under Threat
As if the departure order were not enough, the FRRO served Khan a second notice on October 18, this time initiating proceedings to revoke his Overseas Citizen of India registration. The show-cause notice gives the actor 15 days to explain why his OCI status — issued under the Citizenship Act, 1955 — should not be cancelled, citing Section 7D(e) of the Act. It references the FIR registered against Khan and other demonstrators for unlawful assembly, noting that police had not granted permission for the August Kranti Maidan gathering.
Significantly, the notice itself acknowledges the limits of the case against him: the FRRO noted that the mere registration of an FIR or a brief detention does not serve as conclusive proof of wrongdoing, nor does participation in a protest automatically constitute sufficient grounds for cancelling OCI registration. The Citizenship Act also mandates a hearing before OCI status can be revoked — a safeguard Khan’s team will lean on heavily.
What It Means for His Netflix Comeback Film
The legal battle has arrived at the worst possible time for Khan’s career. The actor has been on the verge of a full-fledged comeback after an 11-year gap — his last lead role was Katti Batti (2015), though he did make a cameo in Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos, which released in theatres in January 2026 and began streaming on Netflix in April.
His comeback vehicle, the Netflix romantic comedy Adhure Hum Adhure Tum, directed by Danish Aslam (Break Ke Baad) and co-starring Bhumi Pednekar and Gurfateh Pirzada, was in post-production with the makers targeting a December 18, 2026 premiere — a date Khan himself mentioned to reporters on October 10. However, Netflix has never officially announced that date, and according to a Mid-Day report published on October 16, sources associated with the film now say the release is likely to be deferred, with the planned post-Diwali promotional campaign put on hold until there is clarity on the actor’s legal situation. There has been no official announcement confirming a postponement — for now, treat the deferment as reported, not confirmed.
How Bollywood and the Public Are Reacting
The case has split public opinion. LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan backed the notice, calling the involvement of foreign nationals in India’s internal affairs “unacceptable.” Others have questioned whether a brief detention near a protest should be enough to expel someone who has lived in India since age two. Within the film industry, all eyes are on Khan’s uncle, Aamir Khan, whose recent meeting with Raj Thackeray amid the legal battle drew its own round of headlines — though no one from the family has issued a detailed public statement on the case.
Meanwhile, the entertainment world keeps spinning. Celebrity controversies are drawing eyeballs across formats — from the Week 5 eviction drama shaking up Bigg Boss Season 20 to the newlywed confessions on Koffee With Karan Season 9’s second episode, where Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna opened up about their marriage. But few stories this month carry the real-life weight of Imran Khan’s fight to stay in India.
For now, everything hinges on three dates: the Bombay High Court hearing on October 26, the October 28 departure deadline, and the 15-day window to respond to the OCI show-cause notice. Whether Imran Khan boards a flight out of India — or wins the right to stay in the country he calls home — will be decided in the coming days. Keep following MovieVerse.watch for updates on the hearing, and explore our coverage of Bollywood’s biggest stories, from the ₹500-crore storm of Drishyam: The Conclusion to the packed October 23 release calendar.